Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutREDTAIL RESIDENTIAL - PDP - 26-01 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESwhich provides access to the project from the Cameron Drive cul-de-sac and where necessary for the north and south path which meanders through the buffer area. The grading plan has been adjusted to allow this access roadway and the north / south path to follow the existing contours in order to minimize disturbance to the natural and buffer areas as well as to minimize the use of retaining walls. VII. Trail, Pedestrian Walkway in Buffer Zone A trail / pedestrian walkway is designed to proceed from south to north through the residential project, which will provide public access for educational and recreational purposes. The trail will be constructed from concrete which will blend in with the brown / beige / gray upland colors, and furthermore is designed to follow the existing contours of the land so it will have minimal impact aesthetically and will be compatible with the natural vegetation in the buffer area. Vill. Name of Project Redtail FDP 7 V. Rationale Behind Assumptions and Choices 1. Although the existing residential is located a considerable distance to the west and is totally blocked from this project by a 200-foot railroad track embankment / buffer, it is nevertheless desirable to provide a thoughtful and sensitive transition between this proposed project and the existing residential, as well as the existing warehouse and office uses on College, Cameron Drive, Coronado Court and Fossil Boulevard. 2. Given the zoning of this property (Commercial C) and its market value, it is a challenge to create a transitional use, which is mostly residential, and still achieve the objectives of economic feasibility and edifying aesthetics, as well as the many LUC goals. These goals can be realized with development comprised approximately of one- third affordable housing units and approximately two-thirds free market units - innovative eight-plex and twelve-plex residential buildings with connecting courtyards around a large park, both carefully planned to respect the large existing natural area between these two project components. 3. Project design should not be beholden to a priority requirement to meet the needs of vehicles. While the needs for vehicular access should be accommodated, the primary emphasis should be on pedestrian and bike circulation. Accordingly, pedestrian, bike, and vehicle needs have been met by a concept, which merges the park, the mail kiosk, walkways, bikeways, vehicle ways, landscaping and hardscaping into innovative internal park -courtyards with the park as the centerpiece and focal point. This benefits pedestrians, provides a sense of neighborhood, and enhances quality of life. 4. This project provides three attractive enclaves of housing at the south end of town proximate to and with easements providing for connection to the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. This will permit residents of this project to make use of convenient public transportation to commute to thousands of employers located near and along the entire length of College Avenue. Also, public transit provides transportation to major employers located east on Harmony Road. Providing attractive housing convenient to public transportation achieves the goals of reducing reliance on motor vehicles, encouraging the use of bikes, and enhancing residents' and employees' overall quality of life. VI. Land Use Conflicts and Natural Area Disturbances There are no Land Use conflicts. The plan has been sensitively designed to concentrate housing on the top of a small mesa well above and well set back from the naturalized detention ponds to the east and north, and to require minimal disturbance of same. In the buffer areas, the existing topographic characteristics and native uplands vegetation are maintained, except where necessary to improve the existing access road R relative to College Avenue, and c) it would cause an undue hardship and eviscerate the proposed project to require an additional 71 feet of setback from these Redtail hawk nests. A storm drainage easement across the 38 acres of Redtail Open Space to the south has been negotiated and recorded. An easement will also be granted by adjacent landowners to permit the system of connecting walkways to be run through Fossil Creek Office Park permitting connectivity between existing and new office, residential and other uses, both within the project and off -site. The carriage houses and garage buildings, together with related landscaping, buffer the residential project from the railroad tracks and embankment to the west. The central parks, connecting courtyards and landscaping buffer buildings and create a pedestrian -friendly environment. Furthermore these features contribute to sense of community and enhance quality of life. Project is designed so that pedestrian, bike and vehicle traffic within the project proceed safely along walkways, pedestrian courtyards and very -low -traffic private drives. As residents circulate between buildings, garages, natural area / open spaces and the parks with plazas, and mail kiosks. The project has 63.5% (7.089 acres) landscaped areas, natural area / open space, which elements soften the feel of the buildings, screen parking, and provide a sensitive transition between the residential neighborhoods and adjacent uses. IV. Ownership and Maintenance of Public and Private Open Space Each residential sub -neighborhood will have its own Home Owners Association and Covenants. They will be separate, autonomous entities, neighborhoods, albeit complementary and symbiotic. Home ownership will be the nature of condominium ownership with each eight-plex building owner owning an undivided interest in the underlying building pad. Statutory requirements with regard to condominium legal descriptions will be strictly followed. All residential front yards, backyards, side yards, sidewalks, private drive, courtyard, and detention pond natural area / open space will be maintained by the HOA's. Public natural areas / open space and landscaped around the Cameron Drive cul-de-sac, as well as the landscaped island within such cul-de-sac, shall also be maintained by the HOA's. 5 7. Pedestrian Oriented Streetscapes, and Variety and Visual Interest in Exterior Design The relatively smaller scale, mass and height of the buildings plus.landscaped setback, step-down roofs, varied roof design elements, and varied siding materials provide for an interesting pedestrian streetscape, variety and visual interest in exterior design. The central mail kiosks, the parks, the pedestrian -permeable park -courtyards, the varied architectural elements and the step-down roofs which characterize the front of the residential buildings, create an attractive and pedestrian -oriented streetscape, variety and visual interest in exterior design. III. Open Space, Buffering, Landscaping, Circulation, Natural Areas 63.5% of the project (7.084 acres) is landscaped area and natural area / open space. The natural area / open space is comprised of the three naturalized detention ponds and their associated buffer areas, and are a central amenity of the project. Most of the residential building sites are ten to twenty feet higher than the naturalized detention ponds, which enhance the buffer by creating this "elevation separation" aspect of the buffer. Furthermore, Cameron Mesa is adjacent to and overlooks the 38 acres of City -owned natural area to the south, which buffers the project from Fossil Creek and, its associated natural areas. Natural Resources has, at our request, reviewed natural area considerations related to this project, and informed us that the appropriate buffer for these naturalized storm drainage detention ponds is 50 feet. The average -buffer distance for the six residential buildings which front on these ponds is 63.5 feet. The only disturbance and construction activity within the buffer zone that will occur will be a) construction activity related to improving the existing access drive into the project from Cameron Drive, b) utility main installations (sewer main is already installed), c) restoration of areas which we disturb, d) previously disturbed areas which we restore, and e) naturalized detention ponds mitigation. The required buffer from Redtail hawk nest sites is 1,320 feet. The residential project is located 1,250 feet from a Redtail hawk's nest, which is 94.6% of the preferred buffer. Accordingly, this falls well within staff level authority to modify performance standard distances down to 80%, and we respectfully request that staff allow this project to proceed with 94.6% of the preferred buffer for the reasons that a) the City -owned natural area has rolling hills which enhance the buffer as it drops toward Fossil Creek and the Redtail hawk nest sites, b) the Redtail hawks have thrived at this location notwithstanding the fact that their nest sites are located 600 feet or less from heavy traffic on College Avenue, and furthermore are located in a "natural amphitheater" M 4. Access The access to Cameron Mesa is from the intersection of College and Cameron Drive, which intersection is controlled with a stoplight and is very safe for bicycles and pedestrians as well as vehicles. Access to Mill Farm is from both College Avenue at the east and Fossil Boulevard at the west. Access to Redtail Pond is from Fossil Drive. Proceeding north on College provides access to virtually all of Fort Collins' retail outlets and employers. Proceeding east on Harmony Road provides access to retail, high-tech employers and Interstate-25. Proceeding south on College / Highway 287 provides access to Loveland, Windsor and alternative Interstate-25 access points. There is easy access to schools and parks proceeding east on Fossil Drive, west on Harmony Road as well as via the Fossil Creek pedestrian / bike trail when completed. Also, Harmony Road provides access to the south branch of the library and Front Range Community College. In addition, residents have immediate access to approximately four acres of private on - site natural area and 38 acres of City -owned natural area (Redtail Natural Area) immediately to the south. Furthermore, the major walkway spines within the project will be dedicated for use by the public, and easements provided to the City for future connectivity to the Fossil Creek pedestrian / bike path and for connectivity to the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. Vehicle, bike and pedestrian access to the offices immediately adjacent will be by means of Cameron Drive, Frontage Road, Coronado Court, public and private sidewalks, and a system of connecting walkways. 5. Architectural Character The LUC goal of achieving exceptional architectural character is realized by this project in terms of a) innovative step-down roof design, b) differentiated and interesting architectural elements present in the residential building elevations, c) thoughtful design considerations present in the courtyard-hardscape-landscape areas, d) complementary interrelationships between all the foregoing, and e) complementary and sensitive relationship to the surrounding natural areas. 6. Active Living Spaces All of the residential units surround central park areas and are linked to same by pedestrian -friendly walkways and courtyards. These active living spaces create the opportunity for a vibrant community with interactions between neighbors, sense of neighborhood and quality of life. 3 vehicle. The large central park includes a plaza area, a mail kiosk, and numerous small sitting / tot lot areas for informal socializing. Mill Farm is located on a small hill previously the home of Mill Brothers Nursery. It overlooks College Avenue to the east and has mountain views to the west. A major purpose of Mill Farm is to create a very attractive neighborhood of affordable housing for sale to qualified purchasers with affordability guaranteed in perpetuity, and furthermore to have the City join us in creating a model of how the private sector with public assistance at the front end only, can build affordable housing which remains affordable forever. This model, if replicated, harnesses the power of the private sector to solve a major portion of our community's affordable housing problem, and thus preserves our community's diversity, inclusiveness, ethical underpinning, and mental health. Redtail Pond is located in the northwest comer of project. Units look out over the detention ponds and open space to the south. II. City Plan Principles and Policies Achieved 1., Transitional This project is complementary to and transitional in relation to the adjacent uses: office, retail, and warehouse uses to the east and north, single-family residential uses to the west (beyond the 200-foot railroad track easement and embankment immediately adjacent at the west), and the Redtail Open Space to the south. This project includes a) residential uses at the east side of project, b) residential uses at the west side of project, and c) a large transitional natural area / open space and three naturalized detention ponds between these two components. 63.5% (7.084 acres) of the total project will be either natural area / open space or landscaped area. 2. Mixed Residential Uses This project. is comprised of approximately one-third affordable and two-thirds free market housing, all housing being for sale (no rental units). 3. Sense of Community / Quality of Life Project design elements include residential buildings at a human scale, attractive elevations with architectural diversity and step-down roofs, and a large central park with adjoining courtyards which merge landscape, hardscape, pedestrian, bike and vehicle. The central park -courtyards concept is the key design element which creates a sense of community and will enhance the residents' quality of life. 2 REDTAIL MIXED RESIDENTIAL USE PROJECT STATEMENT OF PLANNING OBJECTIVES December 2001/ I. Introduction Redtail is a unique mixed residential use project consisting of three complementary sub - neighborhoods adjacent to each other, which make use of this difficult infill parcel in a way which incorporates good planning, good architecture, and respect for environmental considerations. They are: Cameron Mesa to the west, Mill Farm to the east, and Redtail Pond at the northwest comer. In each there is a unifying contemporary -traditional architectural theme, pleasant landscaping and a sense of cohesiveness and community. All units will be residential condominiums for sale. The project is an inf ill project between offices and retail to the east, warehouse -office to the north, City -owned Redtail Open Space to the south, and to the west a 200-foot wide elevated railroad track embankment with residential beyond that. The project has been designed with high sensitivity to the three naturalized detention ponds located between the proposed and existing residential and office uses. Connectivity is being provided between the project residential uses and existing offices to the east, and also between project and existing warehouse uses to the north, by means of Cameron Drive, Frontage Road, private drives, public and private sidewalks, and a system of interconnecting walkways. Major walkway spines proceed around the entire residential project adjacent to and - overlooking open space to the south and naturalized detention ponds to the east and to the north. This provides a wonderful opportunity for residents to take an evening walk safely, enjoy the adjacent natural areas, and get to know their neighbors. This also is a key design element which benefits pedestrians, provides a sense of community, and enhances quality of life. Furthermore, the project provides easements for future connection of its major walkway spine to the proposed pedestrian / bike trail between Fossil Creek and the Mason Street Transportation Corridor. Cameron Mesa is located on the mesa west of the planned Cameron drive cul-de-sac. Units overlook two naturalized detention ponds to the east, one to the north, and thirty- eight (38) acres of rolling Redtail Open Space to the south. The double frontage buildings front onto major walkway spines, which provide safe pedestrian connectivity within the neighborhood and to public street sidewalks. They also open onto pedestrian -friendly courtyards, which provide connectivity to the central park, and which functionally and aesthetically merge landscape, hardscape, pedestrian, bike and 1